After The Raven
by MexeRG
Summary: The Chronolock ticked Clara's life away. She was brave. Now she is dead. [One Shot]


Agonizing pain washed over Clara's body, a tidal wave pulling at every inch of her, ripping her apart at the seams. She screamed, hoping it would somehow ease the pain, but no noise left her open mouth. There was no escaping her fate. And when Clara felt like she couldn't take it anymore, the pain subsided. Her body was cold. Numb.

For a few seconds Clara could not get her head around what had happened. She had helped Rigsy, she had taken the Chronolock from him, but in the end, none of it mattered, someone died anyways. But it hadn't been any old person, it had been her. She had faced the Raven.

But is she was dead, why did she feel so alive? So normal? As she stood in the darkness, Clara felt as she had moments before when looking into the Doctor's eyes. Oh, the Doctor. Now that she was gone, he would be lonely, he would be in pain. But if the Doctor was who she thought he was, he would not taint her memory, he would do as she ordered. It would pain him, but it would keep him from becoming a monster. And that was the one thing she could not -would not- allow.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she felt a weight she didn't know she was carrying lift from her shoulders.

The weight of life.

Clara had been reckless, searching and living for the thrills of each adventure. She wanted to enjoy each moment to the fullest; without fear, without regrets. But it wasn't until she had a timer on the back of her neck that she realized what she was truly after. Death. Because, what was the point of living a life when there was always going to be a gaping hole in her heart?

She jumped into the TARDIS time and time again, hungry for adventures. But deep inside Clara knew that no high could ever compare to living a life next to Danny.

"Danny." The name rolled off her tongue bitter and sweet.

He had chosen to stay behind and instead sent back the boy whose memory had hunted him for years. He had chosen honorable thing. The right thing. And for the first time since his death, she felt she had done the same. She had helped someone that couldn't help himself and she had died in the process. It wasn't a bad way to go.

Pushing back the tears in her eyes, Clara thought back to their hug on the graveyard -to their promise-. A smile crept across her lips. She had slept safely that night and every night after that. And now, all that was left was to see him. To be with him once and for all. To fulfill the promise of a soldier and a school teacher.

"Clara?" It was a voice she would recognize anywhere. A voice filled with love. "Clara, is it really you?"

Clara turned around, tears of joy and pain running down her face, leaving shiny trails on her cheeks. That had been fast. Faster than she could have ever hoped for. And for a second she was afraid it was her dead mind playing tricks on her. But it wasn't. Right in front of her stood Danny Pink; and for the first time, there were no barriers between them. No more hiding her adventures with The Doctor, no more death to separate them. This time around they could be together for eternity. They could have their happily ever after.

Dany irradiated happiness as he took the steps that separated them in strides. But he didn't close the gap. He stood there, only inches from her, looking into her eyes as if convincing himself of what he had in front of him.

"The one and only", Clara said, before standing on her tiptoes and sealing her death with a kiss.

After lifetimes of saving The Doctor, The Impossible Girl could finally rest. Her best friend would be a doctor and not a warrior. She would be at peace, and the man she had loved and lost would be by her side until the end of time itself. Traveling in the TARDIS across the universe had been nice. Defeating monsters had been exhilarating. But every experience paled compared to Danny Pink's arms around her.

Now and for eternity the Dalek Girl would love the Cyberman. And as Clara embraced her new life with Danny, she closed her eyes and sent her friend one last message: "Run, you clever boy... And remember me".

I wrote this after "Face The Raven" but published it elsewhere. Tonight I wanted to edit a few bits and repost it here. Hope you liked it :)


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